YouSaid · the spoken record

Al-Ashtal

lines on the record: 69
first: 1998-03-20
most recent: 2002-04-09
sittings or episodes: 12
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The Security Council is called upon today more than ever to immediately and firmly take concrete and effective measures to put an end to the massacres being carried out by the Israeli forces, which are killing scores of defenceless Palestinians daily. We call upon the Council, in addition to simply implementing its resolutions, to oblige Israel to respect the legal agreements reached with the representatives of the Palestinian people. It should abide by its legal and moral commitments in accordance with human rights agreements, particularly the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949. We also call for Chapter VII of the Charter to be invoked against Israel if it refuses to implement Security Council resolutions and if it persists in its behaviour.”
2002-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4510Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It is clear that Israel has interpreted the Security Council's failure to implement resolution 1402 (2002), requesting it to put an immediate end to its aggression, as a lack of will and the inability to implement that resolution. The thuggery of the Israeli forces reflects that interpretation and confirms beyond any doubt that the Israeli Government does not give any weight to the Council and does not respect its resolutions. It seems to us that some members of the Council have forgotten that the policy of appeasement attempted by the British Government to further deter Nazi aggression against Central European countries before the Second World War actually failed to deter that aggression at its inception.”
2002-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4510Resumption1 (2002) · source
“There is Israel, a country that claims to be peaceful and democratic: a country whose Prime Minister has the audacity to claim that he wants peace, even over the dead bodies of Palestinian children; that he wants security for Israel, even at the expense of the future fate of the Palestinians. We do not know what kind of peace the Israeli Government claims to seek while it continues its barbaric aggression, its destruction of the infrastructure in the Palestinian areas and of the institutions of the Palestinian Authority and its liquidation of the majority of the Palestinian leadership. We might also wonder how, after all this, anyone can go back to peace negotiations, as Sharon claims is possible. Negotiations over what and with whom?”
2002-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4510Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It has become clear today to everyone of sound mind that these were false, deceitful claims. The Israeli forces are besieging entire Palestinian towns and villages. They are showering defenceless civilians with missiles and heavy artillery, without distinguishing between children, youth and the elderly. They are demolishing houses and the infrastructure in a barbaric way. They are preventing water, food and medicine from reaching the entire population and are impeding ambulances from reaching the injured. They are firing at media representatives who are attempting to convey an honest picture of what is happening there.”
2002-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4510Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): Just a few days ago my delegation and many other delegations called on the Council to assume its responsibility, to deter Israeli aggression against Palestine and to put an end to the attacks by the bloodthirsty Israeli military apparatus on the defenceless Palestinian people. The Council thus adopted resolutions 1402 (2002) and 1403 (2002). Both resolutions have practically been rejected by Israel and it has not implemented them. We have repeatedly warned of the seriousness of the delay in ending the ongoing and escalating Israeli aggression at a time when it has been clear that some members of the Council have been prepared to accept Israel's deceitful claim that its military offensive is a war against terrorism.”
2002-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4510Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We urge the Council to take a strong stand to compel Israel to abide by resolution 1402 (2002) and the previous resolution on this matter, resolution 1379 (2001), and to withdraw from Palestinian towns and cities, including Ramallah, or, if Israel continues its rejection, to take the necessary measures under Chapter VII of the Charter.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“The defenceless Palestinian people, under blatant Israeli attack, cannot defend itself because of the massive imbalance of military force. How can a Kalashnikov rifle face Merkava tanks or Apache helicopters? The Republic of Yemen, through the positions taken by President Ali Abdullah Saleh as reflected in his statement at the Beirut Arab summit, has expressed the Yemeni people's solidarity with and support for the struggle of the Palestinian people in this dark hour, as it faces the barbarity of the heavily armed Israeli forces. As stated by President Saleh, we also stand in full solidarity with our brother Yasser Arafat, the elected President of the Palestinian people, who is now encircled by the Israeli occupation forces, as he stands steadfast defending his people and its dignity.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“Arab public opinion boils over as it watches television screens showing the criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli army. We wish this Council could View those images in order to see the truth of the assassinations, the attacks on ambulances and other inhuman acts. Denunciation has not come just from the Arab world; it has come from many other world capitals, including in the form of large demonstrations. We call on the Security Council to reaffirm resolution 1402 (2002), which calls for a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Ramallah and other Palestinian cities. We call on the Council also to take a decision reaffirming the need to deploy international peacekeeping forces and international observers to supervise the withdrawal and to separate the two parties, the Palestinians and the Israelis.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“Thirdly, the Council is meeting because Israel refuses to accept resolution 1402 (2002). Even though Israel's representative today claimed that Israel accepts the resolution, it refuses to implement it because it calls for a ceasefire and a simultaneous withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian cities. Furthermore, the resolution stresses that withdrawal from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, must take place immediately. More than 96 hours later, the resolution remains a dead letter. Instead, Israel has reinvaded other cities in a broad plan to reoccupy Palestinian territory. Israel is also attempting to undermine the Palestinian Authority and to destroy its infrastructure, including leadership installations, official buildings and other civilian installations.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“The explosive situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is increasingly dangerous. Since Israel decided to launch an extensive war against the Palestinians, we have been witnessing a genuine tragedy. Israeli tanks and warplanes attack Palestinian cities, while the headquarters compound of the elected Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, is under total siege, and he and his aides are being humiliated through the cutting of basic electricity and water services. The Security Council is meeting today for three reasons. The first is that Israeli acts of aggression have expanded. The number of wounded and dead increases daily, and destruction continues as we speak. Secondly, Israeli aggression has widened to such an extent that it now threatens peace and security in the entire region.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): I would like at the outset to express my sincere congratulations to you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. Also, I cannot fail to express our deep appreciation to Ambassador Kolby for his successful presidency of the Security Council last month. Allow me to pay tribute to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan. His positions on the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories have been characterized by wisdom, courage and a sense of responsibility. Ever since he delivered his now famous statement before the Security Council on 21 February (see S/PV.4474), he has been placing before the international community positive views that contribute to a resolution of the current grave situation.”
2002-04-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4506 (2002) · source
“We also expect a new vision to be translated into a resolution acceptable to all members of the Council, especially to the permanent members. Failure to adopt such a resolution at this historic juncture in the region will lead to disappointment and serve to push the situation into an unimaginable state of deterioration.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“What we are hoping for is a comprehensive and just peace that will provide security in the region, a peace that makes it possible for the Palestinians to realize all their rights. Those rights include the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital. We also call on the sponsors of the peace process - the United States of America, the Russian Federation and the European Union - to do everything possible to put an end to the serious deterioration in the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, to end the violence, lift the blockade imposed on the territories, end Israeli aggression, provide international protection to the Palestinian people, and end Israel's occupation of all Arab and Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. In conclusion, we expect a clear message from the Council.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The latest events have proven that the continuation of Israel's occupation is the cause of the explosion in the situation in the region, for there is no military solution to the situation in the occupied territories. The Israeli Government's continuing military campaign will never bring about security for its people. The solution is to be found through negotiations on the bases agreed upon and through the implementation of the agreements concluded between the two parties. It is for that reason that the Security Council should shoulder its responsibilities under the Charter by adopting a resolution to send international forces or observers or to take any other steps it deems necessary to immediately provide protection to the Palestinian people.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We have called on the Security Council many times to shoulder its responsibilities with regard to maintaining international peace and security, to quickly intervene to protect Palestinian civilians against Israeli attacks and acts of aggression, and to stop the bloodshed. Regrettably, the Council has not played its role or shouldered its responsibilities. Once again, we have come to the Security Council in the wake of great deterioration in the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem. It has become extremely dangerous in recent days. It is now imperative that the Council intervene immediately and positively to address this dangerous situation and to stop the bloodshed.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The Government of Israel, the occupying Power, should shoulder its full responsibility for its violations of human rights and the crimes and acts of terrorism it commits against the Palestinian people in flagrant violation of international human rights laws and resolutions of international legitimacy. In its most recent campaign, Israel used F-l6 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, seacraft and tanks against residential areas and the facilities of the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli authorities even opened fire on medical crews trying to save injured persons. In its recent acts, it has also aimed at subjugating the Palestinian people and at undermining the Palestinian National Authority, depriving it of its inalienable national rights guaranteed by international law and norms and relevant United Nations resolutions.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The continuation of the bloody military campaign by the Israeli Government under the leadership of Ariel Sharon against the Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority has led to more Palestinian civilians being made victims or becoming injured and to massive destruction of Palestinian institutions and infrastructure and official buildings of the Authority, including the headquarters of the Chairman of the Authority. Israeli occupation forces are continuing their inhumane blockade and their unjust restrictions on movement between the villages and towns of Palestine, thereby preventing the Palestinian people from moving about freely on a daily basis.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The Secretary- General's message to the Security Council was clear: failure to address all these issues would lead to more devastation and violence. It is for that reason that the Security Council should work together intensively with the other parties to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East. The Israeli Government's recent statement that it would establish buffer zones in the occupied territories is a continuation of the war against the Palestinian people, their leadership and the peace process itself. Once again, we agree with what the Secretary-General said, that security measures and military solutions will never bring security for Israel.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We also express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his statement to the Council, which contained important elements and ideas that may be built upon in taking urgent steps to calm the situation and to ensure the resumption of negotiations. In his statement, the Secretary-General expressed his firm conviction that the key interrelated problems remain occupation, security, deprivation and economic suffering. He also stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could never be solved militarily or on the basis of security alone, and that the question of security could not be dealt with in isolation from the other key political issues, especially those of land, other economic and social matters and the dire living conditions of the Palestinian people.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, I should like, on behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Yemen, to express our pleasure at seeing you, Sir, preside over the Council. We are confident that your country's membership on the Council will contribute to the success of its work and add to the record of your friendly country, which has always held clear positions in support of peace and justice. I also wish to congratulate the new members, which represent a positive addition to the Council's work. I also offer our thanks and appreciation for your prompt convening of this emergency meeting of the Council to consider the deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, which requires urgent action from the Council.”
2002-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4478Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We emphasize once again the role of the United Nations, particularly the role of the Security Council, in deploying all efforts to help Somalia restore its sovereignty and national unity so that peace and stability prevail in that sister country.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In this regard, Yemen stands ready to make every effort to facilitate that dialogue, which must be supported by the neighbouring countries and regional organizations, including the League of Arab States and the Organization of African Unity, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the European Union. We look positively on the Secretary-General's proposal to set up a Committee of Friends of Somalia to emphasize ways and means to call attention to Somalia's needs in the area of national reconciliation, as well as to provide assistance in mobilizing funds for reconstruction and development. We also support the proposal to establish a peace-building office in Somalia. We may also call for a fact-finding mission to Somalia.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It has sought to bring together the largest number of civil society representatives and has emphasized dialogue as a way to restore peace and national unity and to rehabilitate the State. Because it represents an alternative to anarchy and war, it received wide popular support. The international community endorsed those steps. This was clearly evident in the participation of President Abdikassim Salad Hassan in the Millennium Summit and was a step towards restoring Somalia's sovereignty. Today we agree with the Secretary-General that it is incumbent on us to pursue completion of the Arta process, despite the obstacles to the peace process and to the rebuilding of the State. We also wish to encourage dialogue between the Transitional National Government and Somali factions.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“President, for convening this open debate on the deteriorating situation of Somalia at a time when the world seems to have grown accustomed to the collapse and indeed extinction of the Somali State. We also thank the Secretary-General for his report on the situation in Somalia, as well as the efforts being made by the United Nations to restore peace and stability and to meet the basic and humanitarian needs of the Somali people. The Arta process, which was hosted by Djibouti, is a bright spot in a series of sad events in Somalia represented by internal divisions, warring and violence among the factions. The Arta process has raised the flag of unity and peace.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The collapse of the central Government 10 years ago led not only to fragmentation, factionalism, the spread of anarchy and the erosion of the State institutions in Somalia, but also to the creation of instability in the region as a result of which the arms trade seems to be flourishing. Furthermore, terrorist organizations and groupings are growing in number, as are smuggling and piracy operations on the seas. Drug traffic has also spread, and the long Yemeni coast is full of helpless people who risk their lives to reach the safety of our shores. Amid this anarchy the brotherly people of Somali are experiencing a deterioration in their living standards, a lack of basic services and the spread of poverty and disease. We are indeed grateful to you, Mr.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me at the outset to express our sincere congratulations to you, Sir, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month, a presidency that will be distinguished by your dynamism and perseverance, for which you are well known. We also thank your predecessor, Mr. Jean-David Levitte, Ambassador of France, who guided the work of the Council in an excellent manner. I also welcome the Prime Minister of Somalia and the Representative of the Secretary- General. Yemen is linked to Somalia by the fact that we share the same sea and have deep-rooted historical ties, reflected in a network of cultural, commercial, economic and political bonds. We live in a region where we affect and are affected by what happens to each of us.”
2001-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4392Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Here again, this situation demands that the Security Council take a firm stand to reverse all the measures taken by Israel to occupy Orient House and other Palestinian institutions and to stop the demolition of houses, the confiscation of land, isolation and starvation, and to make Israel return to the negotiating table in accordance with signed agreements that the dispute should be settled on the basis of Security Council resolutions, the principle of land for peace, and the recommendations of the Mitchell report. All of this should ultimately enable the Palestinian people to regain its rights and to establish an independent State of its own on its national territory, with Jerusalem as its capital.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Israeli practices and crimes against the Palestinians - such as aggression, bloodshed, blockades, the desecration of holy places, the confiscation of land and the demolition of property - demand that the Security Council shoulder its responsibility to provide the Palestinian people with international protection and to force Israel to comply with resolutions of international legitimacy. Israel's occupation of Orient House and other Palestinian institutions in holy Jerusalem constitutes yet another dangerous escalation. It is in flagrant violation of all international instruments and agreements to which Israel is party.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The peace process that began in the 19905 was supposed to promote the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) through the participation of the major Powers, especially the United States of America, in the search for an acceptable formula for the implementation of those resolutions. Great efforts were made to that effect, but, sadly, the peace process is at a near standstill. Indeed, there is a danger that the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate into all-out war. All these factors bring the issue back to the Security Council. The Council must attach due importance to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Republic of Yemen hails the struggle of the Palestinian people and its steadfastness in confronting Zionist arrogance and the continued intensification and escalation.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It is regrettable that the Council has failed to adopt a resolution that would protect the Palestinian people. This only encourages Israel's intransigence and its aggression against the Palestinian people. What seems to call the Security Council's credibility into question is that the Council has asserted its authority in other parts of the world, while it is a mere spectator on issues relating to Israel and to Israel's violations of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949. The prevailing impression among the Arab public is thus that the Security Council is selective and adopts a double standard.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It is reflected also in Israel's recourse to excessive force and in the extension of its military operations to include the assassination of civilians, the destruction of Palestinian Authority infrastructure and incursions into Palestinian Authority territory. But more important, Israel continues to persist in its settlement activities, which is the core problem in Palestine. In press interviews, Sharon has claimed that the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967 are "contested" land, not occupied land as the international community has declared them. The Security Council bears a special responsibility to put an end to the murder and displacement of the Palestinian people. It also bears the responsibility to bring about peace in accordance with its own long-standing resolutions.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It has forcibly altered the situation in the village of Abu Dis, near East Jerusalem. It is clear that Israel is implementing a carefully devised plan to destroy the peace process and to shed all its obligations and responsibilities under international law, including those deriving from Security Council resolutions on the Middle East, which provide a framework for a lasting peace. Events in the Palestinian territories since September 2000 clearly reveal the Zionist plan: Israel has escalated its violence, pursuing a policy of incremental escalation in both the political and the military spheres.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Since September 2000 - and more specifically, since the Sharon Government took power - the occupying Power, Israel, has continued its multifaceted military campaign against the Palestinian people, as well as its policy to impose closures, isolation and siege against Palestinian towns. It has escalated and intensified its aggression against the Palestinian people by using heavy weapons, including artillery, tanks and air forces, and by carrying out incursions into Palestinian territory. It has also attacked Lebanon and bombarded Syrian targets in Lebanon. More recently, Israeli security forces occupied Orient House and nine other East Jerusalem offices of the Palestinian Authority, attacking and arresting Palestinian guards and confiscating important documents and archives, including maps and titles of ownership of Palestinian land.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): It is my pleasure to thank you, Sir, and to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I also wish to commend your predecessor, the Permanent Representative of China, who ably conducted the work of the Council last month. We wish also to place on record our appreciation to you, Sir, for promptly convening this meeting, especially since the Council has recently displayed great reluctance to act on requests for a meeting to consider the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2001-08-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4357Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Suffice it to say that eight huge Iraqi ships have been moored in Aden harbour for more than 10 years, constituting a real environmental hazard there. We call for an end to the embargo, an end to the suffering of the Iraqi people so that they will have the opportunity to rebuild anew, to repair the damage, tragedy and pain caused by the embargo. The embargo imposed on Iraq, whether smart or stupid, today has no political or ethical justification. This is my country's position. Arab public opinion feels that the Iraqis are the victims of collective punishment that was meted out to that people, who has suffered enough.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Indeed, life has come to an end for hundreds of thousands of children felled by disease and epidemic in the wake of a comprehensive blockade imposed by military force. A whole generation of Iraqis have become victims of the embargo, whose effects exceed those of the war in their scope, harmfulness, damage and seriousness. All sectors of the State and of society have been affected; the infrastructure has withered; health care and education have deteriorated, leaving behind permanent disabilities. The embargo's effects on Iraq are not confined to the Iraqi people; the impact has been directly felt by neighbouring countries and indirectly by other countries, such as my own country, Yemen, which has experienced great economic, trade and financial problems.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This must include an appropriate solution of the question of Kuwaiti prisoners and property. But it is also true that continuing the blockade against Iraq will pose a threat to peace and stability in the region for many years to come. How could it be otherwise when an entire generation of Iraqis live a life of misery, which breeds indignation and hatred and sows the seeds of future crisis? Today, Kuwait has been liberated. It has regained its sovereignty and has secured its borders. Today, the Gulf crisis is history, but Iraq continues to this day to live that tragedy. The comprehensive embargo imposed on Iraq 10 years ago continues ceaselessly to crush the Iraqi people. For Iraq and the Iraqis, time has stood still. Building has ceased; development has halted.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): I wish at the outset, Sir, to congratulate you most sincerely on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, a month that has seen continuous Council activity under your wise leadership. Behind the item before the Council today - the situation between Iraq and Kuwait - lies the genuine tragedy that affected Kuwait for a certain time. But Iraq continues to suffer from its impact. To this day, the people of Iraq - women, children and old people - continue to suffer hardship and pain. They continue to suffer the repercussions of a painful calamity and to pay an exorbitant price for it. It is true that the Gulf crisis that has blighted our region inflicted a deep wound on the Arab body politic; it will not heal until we overcome the crisis in all its dimensions.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Public opinion in my country, Yemen - indeed, in all Arab countries - is closely following the scenes of massacre, destruction and displacement that are unfolding in Palestine. The public wonders why the Council has failed to fulfil its obligation to protect Palestinian civilians. Absent that role, and given the Council's failure to shoulder its responsibility, the conviction is growing among the public in our region that the Security Council's practice in this regard is a blend of double standards, selectivity and a lack of objectivity. Let us now ask the question: will the Council take action to protect Palestinian civilians and to salvage the peace process, which is now all but dead? We await the Council's response.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“There has been no effort to put an end to the massacres that undermine the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The bitter irony is that all international norms and humanitarian laws - including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and the two Additional Protocols and other relevant international instruments - apply fully to the Palestinian situation. But the Security Council continues to be unable to shoulder its responsibility. We are concerned that, unless the situation is properly addressed, the crisis could spiral out of control and become a region-wide conflict posing a threat to international peace and security.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The report does not, however, address another situation: that of a State in direct confrontation with unarmed civilians. This is exactly the case of the tragic situation prevailing in the occupied Palestinian territories. There, an armed conflict is being waged by one party - the Israeli State, with its full military machinery - against unarmed Palestinian civilians and their children, who are armed only with stones as a means of expressing their rejection of occupation and of the violence committed by the Israeli State. What is striking - indeed, baffling - to us is that the acts of killing, demolition and siege, the levelling of homes, the destruction of grazing land and farmland, and all the attendant devastation and displacement of civilians, have not been adequately addressed in the Security Council.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We fully support the content and thrust of the core recommendations contained in the report and hope that the Council will succeed in creating a concrete formula to implement all the recommendations so that bloodshed can be averted, property preserved and peace and security maintained. The report of the Secretary-General examines the general situation prevailing in cases of conflict between States or between a State and armed groups in which civilians fall victim. The report also refers to conflict scenarios and humanitarian situations that make it imperative for Governments to intervene, or for the international community, as represented by this Council, to do so when Governments are unable or unwilling to carry out their duties.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Despite the fact that the issue of the protection of civilians has been developing a clear and concrete humanitarian dimension for only one decade, it has acquired special significance because of the potential human tragedy and danger that it involves at the national, regional and international levels, and because of its impact on international peace and security. In this context, we would like to express our appreciation to Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General, for his sincere efforts to promote peace. We would like in particular to commend the valuable views, proposals and recommendations contained in the report before the Council on the protection of civilians with a view to overcoming the difficulties and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian supplies and assistance to civilians in times of civil war and armed conflict.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): I should like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the skilful and effective manner in which you are conducting the business of the Council. I should like to thank Ms. Frechette, who introduced the report of the Secretary-General, Mrs. Robinson and Mr. Oshima for their statements. I should also like to thank you, Mr. President, for opening the debate to participation by the representatives of non-members of the Council to express their views and to make comments on an important humanitarian issue - the protection of civilians in armed conflict between or within States.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Palestinians need the presence of the United Nations; they need to have someone to report on what is happening in the occupied territories. This can only be achieved by dispatching a fact-finding mission to the region. We in Yemen support the peace process in the Middle East. We believe it is an inescapable strategic choice. It is for that reason that we are calling for the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli parties from the point where they left off.”
2001-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4295Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Thirdly, the Palestinian Authority should be paid the tax revenues due it. These measures are desperately needed, which is why we ask the Council to exert pressure on Israel to implement them. They involve the lives of innocent civilians, whose suffering we witness daily and whose lives and property are fraught with danger, displacement and isolation. On a different level, we request that the Council also take the following steps. The Council should agree to establish and deploy, in the occupied territories and under the aegis of the United Nations, an international force to protect the Palestinian people. Secondly, the Council should establish and deploy a fact-finding mission to look into Israeli practices against civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2001-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4295Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Excessive force is being used by regular army forces and trained security forces against children who are guilty only of refusing the continuing occupation of their land. These are revealing indications of indiscriminate Israeli practices. They require the Council to shoulder its international responsibilities and take the necessary steps to urge Israel to respect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian peoples, in accordance with adopted international resolutions and with the principle of land for peace. In this context, we would ask that the Council accept the following points. First, and most urgently, the Council should help put an end to violence against children and defenseless civilians. Secondly, the economic blockade should be lifted, barricades should be dismantled and the free movement of civilians should be guaranteed.”
2001-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4295Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The current Israeli practices against the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories are senseless, illogical and unbelievably harsh, cruel and gory. They have had catastrophic economic, social and human repercussions on the lives of civilians. Of late, Israel has been dissecting Palestinian villages and cities, isolating Palestinian territories and cutting them off from each other and from the outside world. It has tightened its economic blockade against civilians and has refused to pay tax revenues due the Palestinian Authority. At the same time, settlements are being established, Palestinian homes are being destroyed and Palestinian families are being displaced.”
2001-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4295Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) (spoke in Arabic): I should like at the outset, Mr. President, to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. We are confident that you will steer its deliberations to the desired success. I should also like to express our appreciation to your predecessor, Ambassador Said Ben Mustapha, Permanent Representative of Tunisia, for his personal efforts and for wisely and successfully guiding our deliberations last month. I should also like to extend our deep thanks to you, Mr. President, and to the members of the Security Council for affording us the opportunity to discuss one of the oldest issues on the agenda of the United Nations, an issue that has lasted more than half a century, namely, the Palestinian question, which still awaits a just solution.”
2001-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4295Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We must strive towards a just, comprehensive and durable peace, a peace that takes into consideration the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and promotes peace and security, both regionally and internationally.”
2000-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204Resumption1 (2000) · source